Will this be the last time Americans dominate the Olympics?
AP FILE
About the photo: Flames burn in the Olympic cauldron after being lit during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016.
The Associated Press has covered every modern Olympics, and that includes photographs of the Olympic flame both along the torch relay route and in the cauldron.
The Olympic flame was introduced at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. The torch relay began eight years later ahead of the 1936 Berlin Games.
The flame begins its life at a lighting ceremony in Ancient Olympia, where the original Olympics were held for centuries.
Over the years, the flame has played a bigger and bigger role at the opening ceremony, with the identity of the final torch bearer — often former Olympic greats from the host country — being the topic of feverish discussion.
Muhammad Ali, a gold medalist at the 1960 Rome Olympics, lit the torch at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Four years later, Cathy Freeman lit the flame in Sydney and became the only person to light a cauldron and win a gold medal in the same games.
One of the most memorable lightings came at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics when Paralympic archer Antonio Rebollo shot a fiery arrow over the top of the cauldron, igniting the gases from within.
The torch relay for the postponed Tokyo Games began Thursday, but don’t expect to know the name of the person who light the cauldron on July 23 at the opening ceremony until moments before it happens.
And when it does, the AP will be there to document it.
AP FILE
About the photo: Flames burn in the Olympic cauldron after being lit during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016.
The Associated Press has covered every modern Olympics, and that includes photographs of the Olympic flame both along the torch relay route and in the cauldron.
The Olympic flame was introduced at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. The torch relay began eight years later ahead of the 1936 Berlin Games.
The flame begins its life at a lighting ceremony in Ancient Olympia, where the original Olympics were held for centuries.
Over the years, the flame has played a bigger and bigger role at the opening ceremony, with the identity of the final torch bearer — often former Olympic greats from the host country — being the topic of feverish discussion.
Muhammad Ali, a gold medalist at the 1960 Rome Olympics, lit the torch at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Four years later, Cathy Freeman lit the flame in Sydney and became the only person to light a cauldron and win a gold medal in the same games.
One of the most memorable lightings came at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics when Paralympic archer Antonio Rebollo shot a fiery arrow over the top of the cauldron, igniting the gases from within.
The torch relay for the postponed Tokyo Games began Thursday, but don’t expect to know the name of the person who light the cauldron on July 23 at the opening ceremony until moments before it happens.
And when it does, the AP will be there to document it.
Will this be the last time Americans dominate the Olympics?
AP FILE
Doves are released during the opening ceremony for the Tenth Olympiad in Los Angeles on July 30, 1932. The athletes of various countries stand on the field.
AP FILE
Doves are released during the opening ceremony for the Tenth Olympiad in Los Angeles on July 30, 1932. The athletes of various countries stand on the field.
Will this be the last time Americans dominate the Olympics?
AP FILE
The Olympic torch in Lustgarten, Berlin, is lit Aug. 1, 1936, where will be guarded by members of the Hitler Youth until it is brought to the Olympic stadium for the opening of the games in the afternoon. The torch relay was not always a fixture of the modern Olympics, which began in 1896. The relay tradition began with Adolph Hitler's 1936 Olympics in Berlin.
AP FILE
The Olympic torch in Lustgarten, Berlin, is lit Aug. 1, 1936, where will be guarded by members of the Hitler Youth until it is brought to the Olympic stadium for the opening of the games in the afternoon. The torch relay was not always a fixture of the modern Olympics, which began in 1896. The relay tradition began with Adolph Hitler's 1936 Olympics in Berlin.
Will this be the last time Americans dominate the Olympics?
AP FILE
British athlete John Mark runs with the Olympic flame, left, and on right, lights the cauldron during the opening ceremony of the XIV Olympiad, in Wembley Stadium, London on July 29, 1948.
AP FILE
British athlete John Mark runs with the Olympic flame, left, and on right, lights the cauldron during the opening ceremony of the XIV Olympiad, in Wembley Stadium, London on July 29, 1948.
Will this be the last time Americans dominate the Olympics?
AP FILE
Australian athlete Ron Clark, bottom left, plunges the Olympic torch into the bronze bowl, to light the Olympic flame, which will burn throughout the XVI Olympic Games, in Melbourne, Australia, Nov. 22, 1956.
AP FILE
Australian athlete Ron Clark, bottom left, plunges the Olympic torch into the bronze bowl, to light the Olympic flame, which will burn throughout the XVI Olympic Games, in Melbourne, Australia, Nov. 22, 1956.
Will this be the last time Americans dominate the Olympics?
AP FILE
Italian student Giancarlo Peris holds the torch after lighting the Olympic flame in the tall tripod brazier on the perimeter of the Olympic Stadium in Rome, Aug. 25, 1960, at the formal opening of the XVII modern Olympiad.
AP FILE
Italian student Giancarlo Peris holds the torch after lighting the Olympic flame in the tall tripod brazier on the perimeter of the Olympic Stadium in Rome, Aug. 25, 1960, at the formal opening of the XVII modern Olympiad.
Will this be the last time Americans dominate the Olympics?
AP FILE
Japanese runner Yoshinori Sakai runs with the Olympic torch to light the cauldron, right, during the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Oct. 10, 1964.
AP FILE
Japanese runner Yoshinori Sakai runs with the Olympic torch to light the cauldron, right, during the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Oct. 10, 1964.
Will this be the last time Americans dominate the Olympics?
AP FILE
The Olympic Torch burns during the opening day ceremony in Mexico City, Oct. 12, 1968.
Will this be the last time Americans dominate the Olympics?
AP FILE
Runner Guenther Zahn stands near the Olympic flame he lit above the Olympic Stadium on Aug. 26, 1972, during the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in Munich, Germany.
AP FILE
Runner Guenther Zahn stands near the Olympic flame he lit above the Olympic Stadium on Aug. 26, 1972, during the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in Munich, Germany.
Will this be the last time Americans dominate the Olympics?
AP FILE
Gymnastics athlete Sandra Henderson, left, and track and field athlete Stéphane Préfontaine Lighting of the Olympic Flame during the 1976 Montreal Olympics, July 17, 1976.
AP FILE
Gymnastics athlete Sandra Henderson, left, and track and field athlete Stéphane Préfontaine Lighting of the Olympic Flame during the 1976 Montreal Olympics, July 17, 1976.
Will this be the last time Americans dominate the Olympics?
AP FILE
Soviet athlete Sergei Belov runs with the Olympic flame past the Olympic team from Afghanistan during opening ceremonies of the 1980 Summer Olympic Games in Moscow on Saturday, July 20, 1980. A number of teams boycotted the ceremony to protest Soviet intervention into Afghanistan.
AP FILE
Soviet athlete Sergei Belov runs with the Olympic flame past the Olympic team from Afghanistan during opening ceremonies of the 1980 Summer Olympic Games in Moscow on Saturday, July 20, 1980. A number of teams boycotted the ceremony to protest Soviet intervention into Afghanistan.
Will this be the last time Americans dominate the Olympics?
AP FILE
Rafer Johnson, 1960 gold medalist for the decathlon, lights the Olympic torch during the Opening Ceremonies of the 23rd Olympiad in Los Angeles in 1984.
AP FILE
Rafer Johnson, 1960 gold medalist for the decathlon, lights the Olympic torch during the Opening Ceremonies of the 23rd Olympiad in Los Angeles in 1984.
Will this be the last time Americans dominate the Olympics?
AP FILE
An arrow carrying the Olympic flame leaves the bow of Antonio Rebollo to light the Olympic Torch and open the XXV Olympic in Barcelona on Saturday night, July 25, 1992.
AP FILE
An arrow carrying the Olympic flame leaves the bow of Antonio Rebollo to light the Olympic Torch and open the XXV Olympic in Barcelona on Saturday night, July 25, 1992.
Will this be the last time Americans dominate the Olympics?
AP FILE
Boxing legend Muhammed Ali lights the Olympic flame, as American swimmer Janet Evans looks on during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games opening ceremony in Atlanta, July 19, 1996.
AP FILE
Boxing legend Muhammed Ali lights the Olympic flame, as American swimmer Janet Evans looks on during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games opening ceremony in Atlanta, July 19, 1996.
Will this be the last time Americans dominate the Olympics?
AP FILE
Australian runner Cathy Freeman stands under the Olympic torch after lighting the flame at the opening ceremonies for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, Sept. 15, 2000.
AP FILE
Australian runner Cathy Freeman stands under the Olympic torch after lighting the flame at the opening ceremonies for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, Sept. 15, 2000.
Will this be the last time Americans dominate the Olympics?
AP FILE
The Olympic cauldron rises in this multiple exposure photo, left, after Nikolas Kaklamanakis, right, lit it during the Opening Ceremony of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Friday, Aug. 13, 2004. The photo at left is a single frame time exposure interrupted at six intervals while the Olympic cauldron rises after being lit.
AP FILE
The Olympic cauldron rises in this multiple exposure photo, left, after Nikolas Kaklamanakis, right, lit it during the Opening Ceremony of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Friday, Aug. 13, 2004. The photo at left is a single frame time exposure interrupted at six intervals while the Olympic cauldron rises after being lit.
Will this be the last time Americans dominate the Olympics?
AP FILE
Jorge Alberto Oliveira Gomes lights the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016.
AP FILE
Jorge Alberto Oliveira Gomes lights the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016.
Will this be the last time Americans dominate the Olympics?
Kim Kyung-Hoon/Pool Photo via AP
The torch is prepared to be lit during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Relay Grand Start in Naraha, Fukushima prefecture, northeastern Japan, Thursday, March 25, 2021. The torch relay for the postponed Tokyo Olympics began its 121-day journey across Japan on Thursday and is headed toward the opening ceremony in Tokyo on July 23.
Kim Kyung-Hoon/Pool Photo via AP
The torch is prepared to be lit during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Relay Grand Start in Naraha, Fukushima prefecture, northeastern Japan, Thursday, March 25, 2021. The torch relay for the postponed Tokyo Olympics began its 121-day journey across Japan on Thursday and is headed toward the opening ceremony in Tokyo on July 23.
LOS ANGELES — With COVID-19 cases hitting a two-month high in Tokyo, it comes as no surprise the Japanese government is expected to declare a new state of emergency that will run through the upcoming Summer Olympics.
It seems unlikely the new edict would stop the massive international competition from taking place, but it could force a ban on spectators from most venues.
“Infections in Tokyo are trending upward, and we will take every necessary measure to curb the spread of the coronavirus,” Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told reporters.
Tokyo organizers have already barred foreign spectators with a current, quasi-state of emergency set to expire Sunday. The new edict might run through late August, encompassing the span of the Games from July 23 to Aug. 8.
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach seemed unfazed as he spoke to a United Nations Human Rights Council on Wednesday, his remarks beginning with a reference to the start of the Games “only 16 days from now.”
Bach is scheduled to arrive in Tokyo on Thursday and quarantine for his first three days in the country. He will attend a meeting where the issue of spectators is expected to be addressed.
Japan ranks 33rd on the list of nations hit hardest by COVID-19, with 812,069 cases and 14,847 deaths reported since the pandemic began, according to statistics compiled by Johns Hopkins University. But the country has been slow to react, with only about 15% of citizens fully vaccinated.
According to Kyodo News, coronavirus cases in the Tokyo metropolitan area hit 920 Wednesday, the most since a mid-May peak that exceeded 1,000. Suga met with several ministers from the Japanese government to discuss the situation but had no detailed comments about future plans.
The IOC is motivated to continue with the Games if only because broadcast rights account for 73% of its $5.7 billion in quadrennial revenues. Tokyo organizers, who by some accounts have sunk as much as $25 billion into preparations, are similarly eager to push ahead.
NBC Universal, which holds broadcast rights in the U.S., has done its best to generate enthusiasm for the Games, going prime time with recent American trials in sports such as track, swimming and gymnastics.
If all spectators are barred, there will be some impact on what comes across television screens, but NBC will benefit from lessons learned after months of broadcasting sports from empty arenas and stadiums. U.S. viewers have some experience watching games with artificial crowd noise and none of the usual fan shots.
At a news event last week, NBC producer Rob Hyland spoke about a plan to show competitions with simultaneous video of reactions from family members back home. Athletes might also be shown interacting with family by video in the mixed zone after their events.
“It’s a pretty elaborate plan that we’re calling ‘Friends and Family,’ ” Hyland said. “What I’m most excited about, I think what we all are, is connecting.”
As for the athletes, many have reacted with typical joy upon making the U.S. team. They seem willing to adjust no matter who — if anyone — is in the stands.
“Of course we want our family and friends there to feel the support,” U.S. soccer player Becky Sauerbrunn said. “But it’s all business for us.”
